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G. B. NICHOLS INFLATION APPARATUS kFiled April 1s, 1929 June 24, 1930.

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES 1,76s,z7 i

PATENT OFFICE GEORGE B. NICHOLS; or AxnoN, omo, AssmNoa To 'nu rmnsroim ma numana comm, or AKRON, omo, A coaronarron or omo INFLATION .APPARATUS Application led April 13,

In the art of making inner tubes it has been customary to test the finished tubes at the factory for leaks by inlating the tubes and depressing them under water. These tests in the past have been somewhat haphazard in that the operatives inlating t e tubes have depended upon guess-work only to determine the degree of inflation. Accordingly fair tests have not always resulted in that if the pressure in the tire is too low,

small leaks affecting later service of the tube will not be detected.

The invention has for its object the rovision of a simple means for inilating ho low rubber articles and particularly inner-tubes,

quickly and without attention to pressure anges or the like to a desired degree of inflation such as required for exam le in order to make fair and uniform tests o completed inner tubes at a factory before shipment.

The foregoing and other purposes of the invention are attained in the inflation apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawy ings and described below. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular form thereof shown and described.

Of the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of apparatus embodying the invention as employed in the manufacture of inner tubes; v

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diametrical section through the inflation valve; and

Figure 4 is a diametrical vertical section through the automatically controlled air suppl valve and connection.

Re erring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a suitable support such as a bar on which is mounted a bracket 11 supporting arms 12, 12 radiating upwardly therefrom and outwardly offset at13 to provide shoulders, the upper ends of arms l2 preferably being outwardly flared as at 14 so as not to injure an inner tube inserted in the apparatus.

A supply valve housing 15 is mounted on bar 10 and has a bracket 16 mounted on its upper surface on which an upwardly dima serial m. 354,803.

rected arm 17 is pivoted as at 18 rearwardly opposite the arms 12, arm 17 bein rear. wardly offset at 19 to provide a shoul er and preferably being outwardly flared at its up er end also as at 20.

rms 12 and 17 are thus adapted to receive and support an inner tube 21 to be inflated therebetween on shoulders 13 and 19, arm 17 being normally held in a substantially vertical position by means of a spring 22 between bracket 16 and said arm holding the portion of said arm below ivot 18 in contact with the valve stem 23 o a valve 24 in casing 15, the valve 24 normally being held in an open position b arm 17, the action of which is limited y a sleeve 25 adapted to abut the end of valve casing 15.

An under pressure is supplied to the valve casing 15 by a duct 26 and through the valve 24 to a duct 27 connected to an inflation check valve 28 of a known type, a conical socket member 29 bein arranged on said valve to guide and hol the valve 30 of an inner tube 21 mounted over shoulders 13 and 19 between arms 12 and 17 (Figures 1 and 2).

It will be apparent that when an inner .tube is thus mounted in the apparatus air under pressure will be supplied thereto which will inflate the tube to circular form in section as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1, the sectional diameter of which will increase as the pressure in the tube rises. This swings the upper end of arm 17 rearwardly, and (gradually releases pressure of the lower en of arm 17 on the valve stem 23 whereby valve 24 gradually closes under the pressure of the air supply. The movements of arm 17 and valve 24 are so coordinated that when a predetermined expansion of the inner tube is reached the valve 24 will close shutting off the supply of air to the inflation valve 28. The tube 21 may now be removed for testin and another tube to be inflated mounted 1n the apparatus.

It will, of course, be understood that the apparatus is not limited to the specific use set forth and that modifications thereof may be resorted to for this or other purposes without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimedis:

1. Inner tube iniation apparatus comprising opposed arm members having shoulders thereon for supporting an inner tube therebetween, one of said members being pivoted to swing toward and from the other, an inflation valve arranged between said arms for cooperation with the inner tube valve, a supply valve connected to the iniation valve, means normally urging the pivoted arm member toward the opposite arm member, said pivoted arm mem r cooperating with said supply whereby it is normally held open, said supply valve being adapted to close when said pivoted arm member is moved away from the opposite arm member by eX ansion of the inner tube a predetermine amount.

2. A device for use in inflating hollow articles comprising relatively movable members adapted to receive a hollow article therebetween, means normall urging the members toward each other a apted to permit movement of the members apart by expansion of the hollow article therebetween an inflation valve adapted to be connected to the article, and a supply valve connected to the infiation valve and normally held open, said valve being adapted to be closed by relative movement of sald members apart by a predetermined expansion of the hollow article.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 10th day of April,

' GEORGE B. NICHOLS. 

